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Cat Litter for Kittens | The Best Litter For Kittens

Conventional cat litter for kittens is easily available in supermarkets, so most new cat or kitten owners simply buy what is available there. But is this necessarily the best litter for kittens?

Conventional clumping litter is generally clay based and contains minerals such as sodium bentonite and crystalline silica, or silica dust, which is thought to be carcinogenic. Non clumping versions of cat litter for kittens contain various chemicals to combat bacteria or odour. Kittens are likely to want to explore the litter with their noses, which can result in some dust being inhaled. In addition, they stand on the litter and then later clean themselves by licking. So some litter material will inevitably find its way into the kitten's intestine.

Like all young animals, kittens are especially susceptible to a range of health problems compared to mature animals and this includes sensitivity to unnatural chemicals and ingestion of dust or other non-digestible substances such as clay, wood or silica.

Other types of litter try to use natural, chemical free materials, but these are often at the expense of absorbency and convenience.

The best litter for kittens is therefore, ideally, a natural product which contains no chemical additives, is virtually dust free and provides high levels of absorbency and odour suppression. SmartBedz cat litter for kittens satisfies all these requirements, providing a safe, high-performing litter which is also highly cost-effective.

Cat Litter For Kittens click here to buy our universal bedding litter from our online shop

Caring for Kittens

Kittens will normally start using a litter tray when they are about four weeks old - because this is about the time they will start taking solid food. This means they will start to need their own litter tray.

If the kitten's mother is still around, she will normally teach their kittens all they need to know about toileting, and they usually learn very quickly. However, do not expect a young kitten to be able to use its mother's litter tray, as the sides will normally be too high for it to climb over. Instead, you will need to provide a low-sided tray, perhaps placed next to the mother's tray, which is easy for the kitten to get in and out of by themselves.

If the mother is not present but the kitten is more than 4 weeks old, it is most likely that the kitten will have been taught to use a litter tray by its mother prior to you bringing it home, provided the kitten comes from a reputable breeder or shelter. However, you will still need to provide a tray and select a suitable location for it. Choose a room where the kitten will spend its first few days to acclimatise itself to its new surroundings. Place the litter tray in this room as far away from its food bowl as possible while still being easy for it to find. It also needs to be in a quiet, private area. Once the kitten is used to using the tray then this can be moved to a more appropriate area of the house such as the bathroom.

In general, each cat needs its own litter tray, since cats are very sensitive to smell and use urination and defecation as territorial markers. A cat will be put off by the smell of another cat's litter tray and will perhaps resort to going elsewhere. Cats can tend to want to guard their own tray to stop other cats using it so it is important not to put all these together in a row but to spread them out around the house. So as your kitten grows older, you can also begin to move its litter tray further away from its mother's or those of other cats in the household.

You should not need to train your kitten to use the litter box in the same way that you would housebreak a puppy. Soon after you bring your kitten home, take her to show her the litter box. Place her into the litter box, gently take her front paws and show her how to scratch at the litter once or twice. Don't worry if she jumps right out again. Place her in the box first thing in the morning, and after meals, playing, and waking up from a nap which are the usual times a cat may want to go. Remember that cats prefer privacy when using the litter box, so once you see that she is using the box, leave her alone.

Most cats will make the adjustment to a new litter box without any problems. It is important not to scold your kitten if there is an accident as this will only confuse and scare it and it won't understand why you are upset. Clean up the mess and then go back to frequently placing the cat in the tray as before until she starts using it.

As kittens learn about scratching and burying where they have been, they will tend to kick out a lot of litter onto the surrounding floor, so you will need to get a tray with higher sides as it grows bigger.

It is important that the litter tray is kept clean since cats are somewhat fussy creatures that will stop using a litter tray if it is over soiled. The solids and wet patches should be cleaned out on a regular basis and replenished. For SmartBedz users we recommend minimising waste by using a scoop with square holes of 11 to 12mm to allow unused pellets to drop through whilst collecting the solids. Smaller damp areas do not need to be removed as they will dry out naturally. SmartBedz will continue to suppress odours from dried out areas. This ability to selectively clean extends the life of the litter and makes it a very cost-effective option. SmartBedz is also extremely absorbent and will absorb approximately four times its weight in moisture which means the whole tray doesn't need to be changed as often.

SmartBedz is virtually dust free having been thoroughly dust extracted throughout the production process - this makes it more suitable for cats and owners with allergies as well as reducing the mess around the house from your kitten walking over floors with dusty feet.

An added benefit is that SmartBedz is kind to the environment, being made from a sustainable resource with the benefit of being biodegradable. This enables easy disposal by flushing in small quantities or composting.

We recommend using the smaller pellet for kittens initially (the purple and green bag) as this will be easier for the kitten to get used to. However, it is also perfectly fine to use the larger pellets (orange and purple bag) for kittens - this is purely a matter of personal preference.

Summary of Benefits of Using SmartBedz as Kitten Litter


Cat Litter For Kittens click here to buy our universal bedding litter from our online shop